Time To Heal [COMPLETED]

CHAPTER FIVE: THE TWIST IN THE WILL

"Ana," a voice halted her steps from behind as she was leaving the cemetery after Melissa's dramatic departure. At first, used to the wailings of her sister, she had not given much credit to the show the latter was putting on. It was only when insults had been directed at her, that she had paid scant attention interrupting her prayers. And the only emotion she could muster was grim irritation for having disturbed her silent plea to God to forgive her father, hoping that he'd at least found salvation.

As for accepting the condolences, she'd preferred a laid-back performance, granting her father's cousin Aunt Mathilda the main role while Melissa had been making a spectacle of herself. It had felt more appropriate, everyone from the family hated her anyway, considering she was not the rightful heir to her father's millions.

Like she needed that kind of dirty money, she chided derisively to herself while she waited for Uncle Jeremy to reach her at the end of the alley, most probably to talk to her about her father. At the other end, she caught sight of Devin in the background, his eyes bulldozing into hers like a predator lying in wait to pounce on its prey. She sighed. She never knew what history was between her father and him anyway, she'd never even known they had been close.

The first time the two formidable men had met, it had been to introduce him as her boyfriend, four months after their relationship. Devin had been jittery with nerves, and Ana had jokingly put his anxiety down to the first formidable encounter with his father-in-law.

"What did you tell him about me?" he re-iterated again, when she joined him on the sofa, waiting for her father to receive them in his office.

Ana had sighed benignly. "How many times do I have to repeat myself Dev? I told him absolutely nothing apart from your name."

"He must have questioned you. About me. My parents. My background," he'd pressed with almost desperation in his plea.

Surprisingly enough, her father had not given her the third degree like she'd expected. She'd simply assumed that for once in her life, her father had been proud of her choice, because she knew how much money meant to him. "Please relax. He's not going to eat you," she'd cajoled, taking his hand firmly in his.

"Why not invite us over at the house?" he'd mumbled bad-humoredly.

Ana had never seen him so uptight, so unsure of himself, and she'd acknowledged that he must have been definitely in love with her to worry about her father's opinion. "My father... is somewhat overbearing," she tried hesitantly, not wanting to badmouth her father, but also mentally preparing him for the impending meeting. "But remember, his opinion does not matter."

Instead of being pacified, he'd glanced at her with impatience, releasing her hand swiftly when the door opened to an austere looking Alastair. Ana had wanted to do that the proper way, on the multiple insisting of Dev, she'd acknowledged that she'd wanted her father's blessings for her upcoming wedding. But she'd also meant what she'd assured him. Her father's opinion did not matter.

Her father had not spared her a look, not even a small greeting, considering he was seeing his daughter after almost nine months. His whole attention was on her fiancé, and by the look of the rapacious gleam in his eyes, Ana could tell that he was already seeing the dollar signs. Ana would not put it past her dear father to swindle money from her fiancé as well, so she'd intended their meeting to be brief.

"Devin Crighton, isn't it? As in Crighton & Crighton Jewelries?"

Flinching at his lack of subtlety, Ana tried to gauge Dev's reaction but the latter seemed completely focused on her father. Dev hurriedly extended a hand, looking like he was in some kind of pain. It was the first time that Ana seemed to sense some intangible tension between the men. Determined to jump at his defense at the first opportunity, she braced herself for the war of words about to rain. All her intentions however went caput when her father addressed her for the first time. "Anastasia, will you leave us alone?"